In their version of the state budget, Ohio Senate Republicans erased money that had been earmarked for broadband programs. But they also added a provision that would from doing their own broadband programs.
Republican Senate President said there鈥檚 likely to be what he calls 鈥渟ignificant dollars available in the budget鈥� for broadband. However, he said he wants the priority to be rural and underserved urban areas, not for municipalities to become entrepreneurs.
鈥淚t may make sense for a local city to go out and say, 鈥楬ey, let鈥檚 sell this to a large corporation over here, and they鈥檙e going to pay us a lot of money.鈥� Well, the private sector can do that. They need to go do it to schools, or even businesses that there鈥檚 not broadband service,鈥� Huffman said.
The provision would ban all current and future municipal broadband programs if there鈥檚 a private company offering broadband in the area. The House and Gov. Mike DeWine would have to agree to it.
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